CULTURE OF THE PEAR. 23 



Duhamel, during his long scientific career, carefully planted the seeds of 

 all the best fruits, which were eaten at his table, but never obtained a fruit 

 worthy of being cultivated. Alfray annually made large nurseries, with 

 the same care taken by Duhamel, and still did not obtain any new ameli- 

 orated variety. His father and grandfather had done the same, and with 

 no better success. No new fruits were produced in the vast nurseries of 

 Vitry. 



At last, and almost simultaneously, experiments were commenced by 

 Thomas A. Knight, Esq., President of the London Horticultural Society, 

 and Professor Van Mons, of Belgium, to obtain new varieties ; and 

 although they pursued different theories to obtain the desired result, they 

 were both successful, and have thus rendered their names forever mem- 

 orable, by their zealous, able and long continued efforts to enlarge the 

 bounds of natural science, and by the benefits they have conferred upon 

 the human race. 



Doctor Knight based his experiments upon botanical science, and the 

 well known laws of vegetable physiology. The species of a genus of 

 plants were considered as capable of being varied, in form and character, 

 by hybridous propagation, as those of the animal kingdom ; and many of 

 the admirable varieties of Pears, Cherries, Strawberries, and culinary 

 vegetables, which he thus produced, are well known in this country. This 

 theory has been applied to numerous families of ornamental trees, shrubs 

 and herbaceous plants, with such complete success, that the domain of 

 Flora has been extended, in a most remarkable manner, within the last 

 thirty years. To that process are we indebted for some of the most 

 superb varieties of the CameUia, Rhododendron, Azalea, Rose, and other 

 exotic and indigenous plants, which now embellish our conservatories and 

 gardens, and add such splendor to the weekly exhibitions of the Massachu- 

 setts Horticultural Society. 



. The process of obtaining a hybrid variety is not only very interesting 

 and important, but a Avonderful illustration of the perfect and beautiful 

 operation of one of those great and eternal laws of Omnipotence by which 

 the whole universe is regulated in all its physical, vegetable and animal 

 divisions ; from the blooming of a violet and the transitions of an insect, to 

 the iridescent effulgence of the arc in the heavens, and the revolution of 

 the planets in their orbits. 



When it is desirable to cross any two strongly contrasted species of 

 flowers or fruits, for the purpose of obtaining a new variety, the anthers 

 are carefully extracted, with small scissors, from one of them, and the 

 pollen being collected from the anthers of the 'other, is applied to the 

 stigmas of the pistils in that, from which the anthers vvere removed. The 

 seeds of the tree or plant, whose blossoms have been thus artificially 

 impregnated, are planted ; and the flowers or fruit, which the trees or 



